While we sat there, enjoying the sunshine, we nibbled on the adorable little TBC sliders (SGD 16++):

6 cute lil' burgers...

While they were small in size, they lacked nothing in juicy yumminess, with its fluffy buns (not starchy - yay!), thick meaty beef patty and oozing melted cheese:

Cross section of the moist beef patty, mid NOM...

Unfortunately, the interesting Watermelon and pork skewers (SGD 12++) that we ordered didn't taste as nice:

High class, non-Halal satay?...

Overall while it wasn't bad or anything like that, I found that the cubes of pork weren't flavorful or tender enough and didn't match very well with the watermelon.(Was kinda disappointed)

When I took a bite of the Truffle fries (SGD 12++) though, all was forgiven:

Carb-y bliss!....

First of all, the texture was perfect - thick cuts of potato, crisp on the outside yet fluffy and moist on the inside without any hint of that horrid starchiness that you can get with yucky fries.....

... and all that deliciousness was amplified by the hint of earthy truffle scent and little bits of cheese coated on the french fries. (OMG. Bliss)

Needless to say, I had a really nice time that day. (Can't wait to go back there, if only for the awesome truffle fries *DROOL*)

Note: Do not be insulted when they bring you the bill/ ask for payment the moment they serve up all your food - that's just their standard procedure.... :)(It's NOT because you look dodgy/ suspicious)

So, it's: Simple, yummy food by a beautiful man made beach that will make you feel like you are no longer in the concrete jungles of Singapore BUT ok, so the food isn't exactly cheap/ affordable and the service can be slightly inattentive (yet friendly) if you are seated too far from the main bar area....

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Isn't it awesome? In less than one lifetime, CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) in movies have come SO very far - from this:

A very young Bruce Boxleitner and Cindy Morgan...

... to this:

Garrett Hedlund with Olivia Wilde...

.. And also, from this:

Erm. Looking at it now - looks kinda silly, horr?...

... to this!:

I WANT THIS LIGHT CYCLE!...

Don't ask me about the details, as I was very young when I watched the original Tron (1982)... but I do remember liking it.(Although not as much as how much I liked Star Wars)

So, of course when I heard that the sequel was out (after 17 years!), I was well, excited! :D

Here's the thing though: I really enjoyed this Tron sequel, but I acknowledge that it's not exactly groundbreaking or particularly interesting in terms of the storyline...

Still, what it definitely has is a LOT of eye candy, whether in terms of the awesome new Light Cycles (I want.....!), or the really hot women in skin tight light suits.(The music by Daft Punk, who also cameoed in the movie, is also really nice - very different from the usual movie scores)

- Olivia Wilde is super duper hot!:

Wow!...

- Beau Garrett is also super duper hot!:

Again - Wow!...

So?: Watch it lah, and preferably in 3D so that you can fully enjoy the graphics..... :)It's a fun sci-fi/ action movie with lots of eye candy - entertaining enough to while away 2+ hours but just don't expect it to change your life. (Also, don't worry if you haven't watched the first Tron movie from 1982 - you shouldn't be "lost" when you watch this movie)

Synopsis:A 3D high-tech adventure set in a digital world - Sam Flynn, the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn, looks into his father's disappearance and finds himself pulled into the digital world of Tron where his father has been living for 25 years. Along with Kevin's loyal confidante Quorra, father and son embark on a life-and-death journey of escape across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous...

(Note: Synopsis adapted/borrowed from Rotten Tomatoes, which gave this movie a pretty bad rating of 48% fresh!)

Monday, December 27, 2010

Hello.... :) Just to give you a head's up, this is an invited review: (Here are my usual disclaimers)1) I have not been paid to write this, but neither have I paid a cent for my meal,2) I will still be as objective as possible re. the food/ restaurant, and3) If I go back to the restaurant incognito and find that the food/service is horribly different from this experience, I will amend my ratings here...

It does seem like this side of TTDI (near the police station/ Maybank) is booming with lots of yummy new food choices, and the newest (porky!) addition to the array is Hoofed, located just above the also fairly new Tom, Dick and Harry's (TDH):

Hoofed is on top of Tom, Dick and Harry's....

While TDH is geared towards casual dining/pub grub and is thus decorated according to that theme,... you will find that Hoofed is like its more sophisticated sibling, with a classy yet cosy ambience and more complex selection on its menu:(LOVED the beautiful brick lined ceiling - made it feel like we were in a wine cellar, even though we were on the 1st floor!)

A good start to the evening - fairly tender slices of meat with a crispy layer of skin. :)(I wish the fat were a bit more "melt in mouth" though but overall, not bad)

- Smokin' Duck Salad (RM16++)

A healthy part of the meal....(Photo borrowed from Aly because mine turned out too blur)

Yum! :)The fresh greens, smokey slices of duck and tart vinaigrette matched well, and the century egg added an interesting rich creaminess to this salad.

MAINS- Hog on a Board (RM170.00++ FULL, RM90++ HALF)

Poor little suckling pig....

One of the specialties here (with limited quantities daily so you'd better call to book), the cute lil' suckling pig looked very promising indeed as it lay on top of the wooden board....

Piggy cross section....

... and biting into a slice of it: Yummy. :D Tender, moist meat with a crispy and tasty layer of crackling skin. (There is also a nice sauce served at the side, but I think it tastes fine just like that too)

- Bacon Fried Rice (RM18++)

Carbs are my (other) weakness....

Pork (Salty bacon + Sweet Chinese sausage slices) fried with rice, eggs and mushrooms - What's not to like? :) :)(The texture of the rice was just nice - dry yet moist, and also just flavourful enough without being too oily)

- Pork Shoulder Chops (RM30++)

Pork chops....

Yet another porky option... :)To be completely fair, the lean cut of pork could have been a bit more tender but overall it was still nice, accentuated by the simple yet delicious gravy and bacon mash potatoes.

- Chicken Chop(RM24++)

Tender chicken chops....

The chicken chop is essentially prepared/ presented in the same manner as the pork chop but was the far yummier of the 2 - the meat was perfectly tender yet with a slightly crisp top layer. (I was surprised how much I liked this, as I usually dislike chicken chops at restaurants)

- Braised Lamb Shank (RM35++)

Big serving of lamb....

The lamb shank was pretty hefty, presented atop a bed of ratatouille and bacon mash with gravy. If I were to be fussy, I would say that it wasn't as tender as I would have liked (wasn't fork tender), but still overall it wasn't bad....

- Pan Seared Atlantic Cod (RM38++)

More healthy options....

This goes to prove that healthier options are not necessarily less yummy - the perfectly cooked, tender piece of cod was a delight to eat! :)

DESSERTS- Brownies a la Mode (RM12++)

Chocolatey dessert....

The brownies were nice - relatively moist and light, instead of the usual dense brownie texture, and went well with the ice cream.

This was a stolen recipe though! *LOL*(The chef said his mum was annoyed with him because he "borrowed" her prized recipe)

- Baked cheese cake (RM11++)

Dense cake....

Wah. Very creamy and rich!** I liked how the hazelnut sauce added an interesting twist to it though. :)(** Which would have been a good thing on any other night but I had eaten wayyyyyyy too much that night)

*Sigh* I do feel sad on how many piglets/ pigs were sacrified to satisfy our appetites that night... Oh, but don't worry: All good piggies go to heaven!:

Look how happy they look! :)....

PSSSSST:1) Thanks to the management+chef of Hoofed for the wonderful meal. :) 2) Aly! Thanks for extending the invite to me, babe! *hugs*3) Mr Fat Boy Bakes, Wa Lau Wei, J2Kfm and Kelly - Thanks for the excellent company. The night definitely would not have been as fun without you there!

Overall: Sophisticated yet cosy new restaurant in the TTDI area, good range of porky food as well as other dishes, reasonable pricing BUT nothing much bad to say! - while not everything was perfect, there were some stand out dishes that made me wanna go back soon....

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Batu Caves...... an interestingly hilly area with beautiful limestone caves and that famous Indian temple that has a giant gold statue of Lord Murugan and the famed 272 steps.

It is also an area that is fairly well known for traffic jams and since I hardly ever venture there, essentially it is pretty much a complete mystery to me.

I had always wanted to try the famous Pan Heong restaurant there though (map at the end of post - please don't ask me for directions :P)... and was overjoyed when my colleagues brought me there for lunch one day:

Outside the restaurant...

Luckily we arrived JUST moments before the regular lunch crowd, but even then, the restaurant was already packed:(Still, we were lucky that we didn't have to stand around to wait for a table)

Inside...

- To balance out the meal, we ordered the Stir fried Veggies with Garlic (about RM 6)

Greens are good for you...

Nutritionally, these are an essential order (fibre and vitamins, 2 things you need a lot of on a daily basis) but taste-wise the slightly "old" stalks of were at the most, forgettable.

- Moving on the the main fare, first up, the Mee Goreng Mamak (Mamak style fried noodles) (about RM 10, small size):

My dinner...

The noodles were tasty and had some wok hei (wok fried fragrance), which gave it an added kick. The only thing that held it back for me was that the slices of pork were ever so slightly tough.

- The Pei Tahn Sau Yuk Chuk (Century Egg and Sliced Pork Porridge) (about RM 12, small size) is another one of their specialties:

A lighter option...

While I appreciated that the porridge texture was fairly thick (without being too thick) yet smooth, overall the taste was just ok to me.(Didn't like that the pieces of dried oyster inside were a little hard)

- Of course, being the babitarian that I am, I insisted we ordered the Kau Yuk Mai Fun (Braised pork rice noodles) (about RM 12, small size)

Plate of SIN :D...

I was in porky heaven - the moist noodle strands were soaked with savoury goodness (maybe a bit too soft for some though), and matched well with the slices of slightly sweet but savoury pork. :D :D :D

Closer, closer... NOM.

To be completely fair, the meat could have been a bit more tender... and it really is ridiculously unhealthy due to how oily the noodles were (in no small part due to the melted fats from the pork, I'm sure).(Warning: Make sure you eat the noodles while they are fresh/hot, or it may get a bit yucky)

Still, I definitely enjoyed it, and would not think twice about ordering it again if I ever manage to venture to that part of town again.

Due to my over-excitement on finally trying out this much blogged about restaurant, we completely over-ordered that day. :)(My bad)

... There were only 3 of us, but all this food could have comfortably fed 5 people instead.(Somehow, we managed to finish almost all of it though... or I did anyway. *blush*)

So, it's: Simple coffeeshop setting, yummy local Chinese rice, noodle and a la carte dishes at decent prices BUT it's a popular place so be prepared to wait for a table and parking can also be a pain....

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Random year end musings. No food so just skip this post, if you want....

THINGS I DISCOVERED/ WAS REMINDED OF THIS YEAR

1) I Am Lucky but UnluckyCase in point: My car broke down twice this year, but both times it happened when I was already safely at my destination.(I would just like to take this moment to thank God/ Guardian Angel/ Divine Power watching over me - Really. Thank You so very much... I really appreciate it....)

2) The World is REALLY SmallCase in point: It turns out that I am 3 degrees of separation from Jho Low!(... which essentially means that I am 4 degrees of separation from Paris Hilton! *GASP*)

3) It's Tiring Being An AdultCase in point: All my mini arguments/ headaches with the banks/ etc.(Good Lord ppl. I actually do take pride in paying promptly, IF I get the appropriate notice lah. Don't give me grief if its just a case of miscommunication and/or how disorganised you really are)

4) Life is ShortCase in Point: My parents seem to be attending more and more wakes (of their friends and acquaintances) in recent years.(My heart is filled with fear.... Sure, they annoy me from time to time, as I'm sure I annoy them too... but at the end of the day, I love them and wish they could live happily and healthily forever. *sigh* What can I do?)

Monday, December 20, 2010

New eatery in Bangsar Village that has been getting plenty of attention online....

I know. There are PLENTY of reviews about this place already, but here are my 2 cents worth, combined from 2 visits:(I'll keep it short and sweet....)

THE AMBIENCEIt's hard to miss, located on the ground floor just opposite Starbucks:(Where Bakerzin used to be)

Exterior of Plan B....

Overall, its casual but nice, although it feels a little bit cramped inside.

THE FOOD:- Buffalo Wings (RM 15++)

Spicy chicken wings....

OK lah.Tender texture and slightly spicy but a bit too oily.

- Wagyu beef pie and Moroccan Lamb Pie (RM 19++ each):

Beef pie (front) and Lamb Pie (foreground)....

Both pies were really nice - big serving considering the price, flakey and crispy on the outside with tender flavorful fillings.

- Cross section of the beef pie:

Moo moo....

Out of the 2, I preferred the beef pie as it was more moist, but the lamb was really interesting too as it had a nice fragrance of spices.

- Spicy Crabmeat Linguine and Wild Mushroom Linguine (RM 19++ each)

Crabmeat pasta (front) and mushroom pasta (back)....

There are good reviews online but when I went there, they were both kinda bland and the linguine was overcooked.(Between the 2, the crabmeat linguine was better IMHO, because the slices of kaffir leaves added some zing to it)

- Rocky Road Slice (about RM 5++)

(Half of the) Large slab of rocky road....

Very good price for such a big piece but the crumbley coconut-y base was super sweet - I only liked the bouncey top layer of marshmellows and chocolate.

- Chocolate Mousse cake (RM 11++)

Chocolatey dessert....

Ok.Definitely moist and chocolatey enough but there was a very very very slight flour-y aftertaste.

THE SERVICE:So far, they were annoyingly slow 2 out of 2 times.(Once during a weekday lunch, and another during a weekday dinner time)

"Friendly but slow" I can accept most times, but "borderline incompetent and slow"** I really cannot stand. To be fair, they have only been open for a short time so maybe its just initial teething problems... but for the meantime, consider this a warning that you need to go there armed with ample patience.(** Taking ages to clear tables, have to be prompted for menu/cutlery/food several times, missing out orders completely, etc)

Overall: Modern and cosy new cafe in Bangsar with a range of interesting New York/ Australian cuisine, reasonable pricing BUT strange pricing (most things are affordable whilst others seem expensive, in particular the limited Asian selection) and service can be a bit annoyingly slow....

Friday, December 17, 2010

I like music in general.(... except a few genres like polka and opera. Respect it, but haven't acquired the taste for it)

Fireworks that night :)...

Other than the more mainstream stuff like Ballads, Rock, Top 40 stuff, R&B, etc., I also really enjoy House and Trance...

So, when I heard that David Guetta was playing at Zouk Out 2010 last weekend, I just had to go.(Haters: Yes, maybe you consider him a "sell out" but I think he is awesome because through his collaborations with ppl like the Black Eyed Peas, he has bridged the gap between house/trance and pop/mainstream, making it more accessible to the masses)

I really did not know what I was getting myself into* though, so I thought I should post up a short "survival guide" as a public service - to help first timers/ those as blur as me the next time around.(* I honestly thought: "Hmmm. Normal partying in Malaysia lasts till about 3am, so at Zouk Out Sg, at the most should be until around 5 or 6am, right?")

Hordes at the main stage(Frak you, rough idiots - You know who you are)...

ESSENTIAL FACTS1) The tickets usually sell out every year.(2 years in a row anyway... so buy them beforehand, and not try your luck on the day itself)

2) The traffic on the way in and out can be quite bad.(Things that will make your life easier: Go much earlier and have dinner/hang out near the venue and rent a hotel room to crash at after)

3) It starts at around 8pm and will last until the SUN RISES.(So: Rest well and have a good meal before you go)

Dubfire, at the other stage...

WHAT YOU NEED ON THE NIGHT1) PATIENCE.(This is very important. The night should be about music and fun but there will always be idiots in the crowd - don't get into an argument/ fight please. Life is too short....)

2) Good friends that you can trust.(aka. Friends that will not leave you unguarded and asleep/ unconcious in the middle of nowhere - saw many ppl by themselves at random places around the island later)

3) ID (with photo and age), some money and a fully charged mobile phone.(No ID = cannot get in, no money = cannot buy drinks and no mobile phone = big trouble when you get separated from your friends, which is very likely to happen considering the amount of people there)

4) Comfortable sandals/ flip flops.(You can also wear shoes, but it's on a beach - you'll probably get sand in it)

5) A dependable bladder.(While it is important to stay hydrated, the portable toilets get kinda smelly and DISGUSTING after a while)

Fuelled by 3 beers and 1 power nap, I managed to survive the night...

Q: Did I have fun?A: Yes :) - Met a lot of nice people and the music was good but it was definitely very tiring.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

I think the wonderful thing that food blogging has brought into my life is that not only do I have a creative outlet to share my daily yums with anyone who cares to read about it,...

... but that I have also gotten the chance to meet such nice people who are really passionate about food....(Of course it helps that they are either also kind, hot, witty, fun, intelligent or more often than not, a combination of all of the above - making them excellent company too :P)

One of these lovely people, is Mr Paranoid Android, who introduced me to his favourite Thai restaurant (called Thai Somtam Seafood), located in the bustling Changkat Bukit Bintang/ Jalan Alor area.(I had always written off the general Jalan Alor area as a tourist trap, but little did I know there was this little gem of a restaurant there)

The restaurant...

BTW: Sorry - the receipt has been misplaced. I think the meal did not come up to more than RM 30 per person anyway.... but I don't have the exact prices for each item.

Ooh, also, the photos are not from my usual (no longer very) trusty point and shoot camera - my battery went flat after that first photo (above) so I hijacked a nearby DSLR. :P

First up, an essential Thai salad - the Somtam (about RM 10):

Healthy!...

Fresh slices of mangoes, tomatoes and long beans tossed in a piquant, slightly fishy (in a good way!) and spicy dressing - delicious! :)

Next up, instead of the usual Tom Yam soup, we ordered the Tom Sep (about RM 25):(We opted for pork, but if I'm not wrong, there are other options available - eg. chicken or beef)

Claypot of spicy yum...

Deceptively clear but with floating red bits of chili as vivid warning of its potency, this was a wonderfully spicy and sour soup with a nice balance of herbs, albeit just a tad too salty.

The pork balls that came with the soup were also very yummy with just the right level of savouriness and bounce.(This soup will most probably have you sweating and in pain, but loving it and wanting more... You could ask for it to be less spicy but what's the fun it that? :P)

As for the carb-y element, we had the Fried Pad Thai Noodles (about RM 10):

Delicious!...

Yummy... The texture of the noodles was ever so slightly chewy and sticky, with a tasty mix of savoury yet sweet and spicy. :)

The crispy deep fried Crispy Duck (about RM 15) was also delicious:

Crispy duck slices...

Whilst I would have loved for the slices to be slightly more meaty,... they were tender and faultlessly crispy, with the crumbley batter fried to golden brown perfection.(Watch out though, it's not completely deboned)

As for dessert, I don't know what these are called, but they were sweet, slightly doughy and looked like cute little baby carrots:

Dessert on a stick...

I didn't like them that much but it's just a matter of preference - my soft spot is for all things chocolatey after all. :)

There was also an interesting bottled drink there which Mr Android told me is specially brought in from Thailand by the restaurant owner:

Exotic bottled drink...

Made from palm fruit, it was sweet and had an interesting flavor that I find hard to describe - definitely gonna order it again the next time though :)...

Mmmmmmm... What a meal! Left the restaurant happy, with a warm, full belly and slightly scorched tongue.(Thanks again, PA! *hugs*)

PS/ Oh man - A DSLR makes such a huge difference, don't you think so?

So, it's: Simple ambience, authentic Thai food for reasonable prices BUT nothing really bad to say except that the surrounding area can be a bit jammed/ hard to find parking - it is in the heart of KL, after all :)...